Math is discovered because it already exists in the natural world and we can observe its patterns and relationships, while it is also invented to create a system of symbols and rules that allow us to manipulate and apply math in practical ways.
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Mathematics is both discovered and invented. It is discovered because it already exists in the natural world and we can observe its patterns and relationships. The discovery of math has been going on for thousands of years, and our understanding of it has evolved with time. “Mathematics is the queen of sciences and arithmetic the queen of mathematics,” as Carl Friedrich Gauss, a famous mathematician, once said.
At the same time, mathematics is also invented because it involves creating a system of symbols and rules that allow us to manipulate and apply math in practical ways. This is why we have different branches of math, including algebra, geometry, and calculus, for example.
Numerous fascinating facts are associated with the history of mathematics. Here are some of them:
- The ancient Egyptians used mathematics for surveying and construction.
- The number zero was invented independently by both the Babylonians and the Mayans.
- The word “mathematics” comes from the Greek word “mathema,” which means knowledge or learning.
- The Indian mathematician Brahmagupta was the first to describe negative numbers.
- Rene Descartes is known for inventing the Cartesian coordinate system, which made modern geometry possible.
In conclusion, math is both discovered and invented. On the one hand, math already exists in the natural world, and we can observe its patterns and relationships. On the other hand, humans have created different branches of math by inventing a system of symbols and rules to manipulate and apply it practically. As Einstein once said, “Pure mathematics is, in its way, the poetry of logical ideas.”
Here is a table summarizing the discovered and invented aspects of mathematics:
| Discovered | Invented |
|---|---|
| Patterns and relationships in the natural world | System of symbols and rules |
| Evolved over time through observation | Different branches of math |
| Objective and universal | Subjective in its application |
| Examples: Pi, Fibonacci sequence, Pythagorean theorem | Examples: Algebra, Geometry, Calculus |
There are several ways to resolve your query
There are two main positions on whether mathematics is invented or discovered. According to the Platonist position, mathematical truths are discovered through the intuition of the mathematician and then established by proof. The non-Platonist position, on the other hand, holds that mathematics is not discovered, but invented. The absolute nature of mathematics is universal, objective and certain, with new mathematical truths being invented or emerging as the by-products of inventions, rather than discovered.
Mathematics is not discovered, it is invented. This is the non-Platonist position.
The absolute nature of mathematics is universal, objective and certain, with mathematical truths being discovered through the intuition of the mathematician and then being established by proof while the fallible nature of mathematics is an incomplete and everlasting work-in-progress, and is corrigible, revisable, changing, with new mathematical truths, being invented, or emerging as the by-products of inventions, rather than…
I am far from an expert on this subject, but it might be illuminating to consider what happens when a dog catches a ball. Neglecting air resistance and other secondary effects, the ball follows a predictable trajectory that is shaped by gravity, and math allows us to predict where it will land. Astonishingly, a dog can _also_ predict where the ball will land almost immediately after the throw, and some dogs can even run and leap to catch the ball before it touches the ground. When you consider that the dog has far less visual acuity than we do and that it is estimating the three-dimensional geometry of the world and position of the ball in real time from imperfect two-dimensional signals bouncing on its retinas as it runs, you might be tempted to award the dog a degree in Applied Mathematics!
So does the dog that successfully locks the ball in its jaws in mid-air invent math, discover it, or neither?
One perspective would be that the dog discovers math: through life experience, it ob…
Response to your question in video format
This video discusses the debate between those who believe that mathematics is discovered, and those who believe that it is invented. The video provides examples of how mathematics has been used to solve problems in the real world.
More intriguing questions on the topic
Keeping this in consideration, Was math invented or discovered? And over the centuries, mathematicians have devised hundreds of different techniques capable of proving the theorem. In short, maths is both invented and discovered.
Furthermore, How did math get discovered? The oldest clay tablets with mathematics date back over 4,000 years ago in Mesopotamia. The oldest written texts on mathematics are Egyptian papyruses. Since these are some of the oldest societies on Earth, it makes sense that they would have been the first to discover the basics of mathematics.
Is math a humanly created subject?
Response: Maths is a human construct
Maths is a product of the conscious mind: both a tool and a language used to make sense of the designs and functions of our universe – quenching humans’ instinctual thirst for rationalisation.
In respect to this, Why do realists believe that mathematics is discovered? As an answer to this: As the realist sees it, mathematics is the study of a body of necessary and unchanging facts, which it is the mathematician’s task to discover, not to create. These form the subject matter of mathematical discourse: a mathematical statement is true just in case it accurately describes the mathematical facts.
Did humans invent or discover math? The response is: Yes and no. Humans “invented” math in the sense of coming up with the rules. However, since the base of math is on nature, it is argued that humans more “discovered” math more than “invented” it. Thinning hair?
Considering this, Is math a human invention or a human discovery?
Answer will be: Math is a human creation, a human invention we use to explain natural phenomena that we discover. Contrast this with the work of scientists. Like that radio show that @Rarebear posted pointed out, a discovery can be made by many people at the same time or by no one at all, but it exists regardless independent of humanity.
Why did they invent math?
The response is: Why did they invent mathematics? The only reason math is so good at describing the physical world is that we invented it to do just that. If the universe disappeared, there would be no math, and no football, tennis, chess, or any other set of relationship rules we’ve invented.
Why was math first created?
The answer is: The world got more complex. In order to understand it, arithmetic was invented. In order to understand the world, geometry was invented, to be able to build things. Mathematics was invented, because arithmetic and geometry could not explain many things, in the world.
Hereof, Did humans invent or discover math? Yes and no. Humans “invented” math in the sense of coming up with the rules. However, since the base of math is on nature, it is argued that humans more “discovered” math more than “invented” it. Thinning hair?
Regarding this, Is math a human invention or a human discovery? Math is a human creation, a human invention we use to explain natural phenomena that we discover. Contrast this with the work of scientists. Like that radio show that @Rarebear posted pointed out, a discovery can be made by many people at the same time or by no one at all, but it exists regardless independent of humanity.
Thereof, Why did they invent math?
Response to this: Why did they invent mathematics? The only reason math is so good at describing the physical world is that we invented it to do just that. If the universe disappeared, there would be no math, and no football, tennis, chess, or any other set of relationship rules we’ve invented.
Consequently, Why was math first created? The reply will be: The world got more complex. In order to understand it, arithmetic was invented. In order to understand the world, geometry was invented, to be able to build things. Mathematics was invented, because arithmetic and geometry could not explain many things, in the world.